Education Committee- House

That today. Okay Mister Jerry everything. So. Investor. They say it also anyway what we're glad you're all here we got a long day today we've got about eight bills we need to try to eight or nine we need to try to Here today so we'll start out with H. B. eleven seventy three represent all that are you here. You are. You will take the other the table you're recognized to present up and I'm going to ask all the presenters today we really don't want to limit your time. But I'm just going to a if you look at our list of bills we have to get through this year I want to try to say we need to present as quickly as possible and for anybody speak for or against the bill please do it if the abbreviated as you can I don't want to limit your time but if it gets to where we get too long we will have to limit the time the people present and I really don't want to have to do that so you might you might present thank you Mr I will be short I'm not going to drag anything out hello sorry to own the talking about eleven seventy three I want to give you a little history because this is a law has evolved over the years in the previous administration the top two positions for the department of education was the commissioner deputy commissioner those positions were required to hold a master's degree ten years of teaching experience five of which is in administration and number three to hold a valid teachers Lawson's during this administration the law was updated to allow the Commissioner to be whomever the governor chose as long as the deputy commissioner have the qualifications this brings us to today when the restructuring of agencies took place the secretary of education position was created which was followed by the commissioner and deputy commissioner this bill is simply the evolution of this law which would allow the governor to choose the Secretary position provided the commissioner and deputy commissioner met the qualifications this law it would not take effect until July first twenty twenty three which would push it past this administration in six months well actually six months into the new administration and with that I'll be glad taking questions you have. President Vaught you're recognized thank you Sir did you know that your appeal I find the impact that your bill that you have here. Actually conflicts with another part of the legislation on this issue that was passed in two thousand nineteen. So we'll have a piece of legislation that doesn't mirror another piece of legislation about the same topic so you have it written such as what. well there's several things but. There's just two different sections in code about the secretary of education and yours you only you only interested in one part and you didn't address that in the second part. The legislation from two thousand fifteen. Nineteen nineteen sorry. I've. I'm not aware that I may be L. R. I'm a pretty much said that this is what. What would change so I mean I. I'm sure they change the section in which you ask them to change I understand that but it but you didn't change of sections. So we'll have a conflict in law. What are these two pieces what with the conflict be. It's about this I mean it's about what you're trying to change here is different than what we've just passed in a different section from two thousand and nineteen. That's what I just didn't know if you did if you knew. That you didn't address something about sections. I'm not aware that no. If that's the case I'll I'll withdraw the bill until I can get clarification on that. I mean I don't know I'm not asking you to do that yet they can ask questions I just need to know if you know it thank you Mr was I have about the real question was going to questions and we'll see if there's any more concerns of. Represent Deffenbaugh. Thank you Mr chair okay represent talent I tell me again what's required today for these positions and what what are you recommending that the. So under current under the current law the commissioner can be whoever the governor chooses provided that the deputy commissioner meets the qualifications and so now we have a new position that was created that's above the commissioner in the restructuring which is the secretary of education position and so this would just put the second second and third person in that department to to have to meet the qualifications which is kind of the way it was set up in law right now with the Commissioner not having to meet the qualifications and the but the deputy commissioner had to which was the second in command which would be the Commissioner at this point in time and said the Secretary. Follow up. What are the qualifications and that the qualifications are that you have to have a master's degree ten years of teaching experience five of which had to has to be an administration and hold a valid teacher's license. These are just minimum qualifications for that okay just one other thing You I'm sorry one more time Thank you senator parlay into the school board members having to have a degree to serve on the school board no this this has nothing to do with school boards. Thanks. Receive that you're recognized. Thank you Mr so and on. Your. Question right of another question okay so there's a. We've created a new position so you're saying now that since that levels there that you want to push and I'm just trying to get clarification that that new position now requires. That that position is above the deputy commissioner now right so before the the we could the governor could appoint the position as long as the deputy commissioner met these requirements is that correct current. Now you're saying there's another position above the deputy Committee Commission you're saying that that position now should require of those same standards that the deputy commission required before correct yes what what I'm saying is that the commissioner used to be the top position right now it's the secretary of education and so what I'm saying is the Commissioner which is the second in command which the deputy was before that they must meet those qualifications education qualifications it will allow the governor dislike the Secretary but the the compare and really the commission to they want to but the commissioner had to meet the qualifications if the commissioner and deputy commissioner meet the qualifications and the governor can select whoever they want us secretary quick follow. So this is my confusion is it seems like before it was okay I mean it's just a position here right so. Why is it why would require the commissioner to have to have that that I mean you you obviously have the deputy commissioner that still has those requirements that were put in there I don't understand why we have to put him on the court required a new position so why do we have to put that on that so in instead of it just having one person at the top that would not have to meet education qualifications to be over the department of education you would then be creating two positions that would not have to meet the qualifications of being an educator to be over the the department of education so this is what this bill does is the secretary of education will be allowed to be chosen by whoever the governor wanted provided that the commissioner and deputy commissioner met those qualifications and so it it's it's no different than it is the second in command is required to have have those That position or those qualifications. I'll get back in the queue if you're in good or what else hi I'll I'll I'll come back around to that. So so my concern then is what we're saying is since the second command had to have these now we've created a new position so that position has had these the a better of logic would be I think two thousand day why you think that that position this new position would require these requirements in other words you know if you said okay. The the new position now took over what the deputies position did before then that that was okay that's why you would validate that this person had to have these credentials but it maybe they do and I'm not saying it down but that that would be validation for require those credentials not just there's a new position and it's the next one it in the wrong it took the wrong of the other the place in round one of the other position so now it requires that that doesn't makes that's not logical that is that you're saying okay we created something so we have to put these credentials and so why would you say that that new position has to have those credentials other than saying that the person that was there before that's a new position and is the second and it's in the it's running a second and he that the position is second in the round so it must have this our it's so so pretty prior to this administration the commissioner and deputy commissioner had to meet these qualifications this was changed under this administration to allow the commissioner to be appointed by the governor without having to meet these qualifications provided that the second person in command which is the deputy commissioner meet those qualifications in the Rio this law has not been updated since the restructuring. And in the restructuring at the head the new head of the department of education is the secretary of education and not the Commissioner which are two separate positions under the law and also under I mean it's it's far state government according to be alarmed so it can be held by one person but it does it It is slated to air in it and it it it has two different pay grades also as two separate positions according to bill are currently it is being held currently by one person So what we're saying in the updating of this law and pushing it past of this administration two thousand twenty three is that you would just have the commissioners the Commissioner meet the qualifications and deputy commissioner meet the qualifications but the secretary would not have to meet it provided that the commissioner and deputy commissioner Matt. All right. Okay a reserve officer record thank you the code that you would conflict with this twenty five dash forty three dash five three just so you know. In transformation. If I were and Mister chair this may be for you and transformation we got rid of what we called. Commissioners and they became secondaries in transformation we didn't create a new position we just moved them to use Secretary level am I correct. I'm not sure about that because he still carries the the bill would have to ask the department can the Department answer that the stadium we could have somebody who department that would answer that question for. I just didn't think and we still carries commissioner and secretary as for more but less would in addition cell phones morning cortisol as Ford of counsel for the department and. No that the Secretary position was it was a new position that was added and was stated the current secretary Johnny key is the secretary of education and the Commissioner of Education so it could be two separate people or it can be one person. But that was due to transformation action correct yeah I mean and so transformation is what. Yes absolutely rated the Secretary level and again he served in both of those positions and so if the bill was passed a new commissioner would have to be hired creating an additional layer of administration. And. I'll let somebody else asked I've already asked not to. I'll come back okay but back in representative Brett. Thank you Mr chair currently that statute says. That the commissioner shall serve at the pleasure of the governor and the commissioner shall report to the secretary of the department the commissioner shall. At the and. Be a person of good moral character unless the deputy commissioner meets the requirements of this subdivision of person selected as commissioner shall hold a master's degree so currently. The commissioner does not have to have these educational requirements as long as the deputy commissioner meets those needs correct. Yes. Well okay my question then is. Is this. Process not working well or do you anticipate that it will work well I'm not here to comment. You know comment on the process my my My thought process behind running the is is to update the legislation where whoever the second person is in in the chain of command at the department of education is an educator and has educational knowledge and experience because I do believe that having that knowledge is vital to to running education state Arkansas. Thank you Mr Tyler and I understand and I will and I want to clarify this I understand the need for secretary's position to be able to run the overall arching because there there's it's it's a lot of different layers in the restructuring of the US and this is not a commentary on the way it's being run but the secretary's position to me is the overall you know catalyst own all of the things that are underneath them the commissioner is more involved in the operations of specific parts of the department of education. Thank you representative talent. Representatives. Thank you Mr chair and you did touch on my question just now a little bit this is turning into who's on first I did think this is how this was but my question is then. If our commissioner and secretary the same right now which I understood that to be do we need a commissioner number one wanted to fit what are the Responsibilities of the Commissioner are are do we have this one person according to one person the same person so if you could distinguish from we do we need a commissioner. Because right now it's being held by one person. Yes yes I do believe that we need to commissioner commissioner secretary have different responsibilities under the law so I I believe that it functions best if the commissioner is out for filling their responsibilities under the direction of the secretary and that the secretary it is fulfilling their function to compensate for not having a commissioner for the first time ever the debt the department of education had to hire a second deputy commissioner so that is a new position to help pick up the slack of not having a commissioner. You're recognized okay so we had to deputy commissioners right now correct not just one okay thank you. All right referred to Senate to vote your back up. Thank you Mr chair. So since two thousand and fifteen a we've had a. One person filling two jobs with that be correct. With the trash motion just after transformation last session and so can I ask that Department another question. The public is nineteen point of transportation to close off the Department another you're sure thank you. So I do feel like. Right now we have the most flexible structure that we've ever had and I know that you have the knowledge you've been in the classroom you've got the knowledge. And I believe that you and Secretary key work very well together and their I've not seen any problems do you see a need to. For you all to have that other position. I have a separate department of education so the I'm trying to think how to how to best answer the question so that the structure that was put in place with the and which transformation is one that and allows for a in any case it allows for that the secretary also served as head of the division or department within a larger structure and the date and Secretary. Still has the and title and responsibilities of Commissioner and and a lot of that is and with working with the state board of education and providing that overall and structure and guidance for and that K. twelve education system so that role is still being fulfilled and still being taking care of it's not and at I think part of the confusion gets into and first second and third it's not a it's not a first second and third level layering top of approach and the secretary of education does have different responsibilities when overseeing multiple agencies but there's still is very much the and they they need and having the flexibility for that the secretary and to also be able to serve in the capacity of the commissioner and then as a deputy commissioner those roles then our and. Are able to to help make sure that the work gets done within the various and K. twelve areas. Follow what you're recognized. So do we have a lot of complaints from sleepers about this position just banned one. I have not had any complaints and I think part of what what we see with the the way the legislation is drafted to that and as you mentioned the conflict with the and the code twenty four or twenty five forty three five oh three that outlines the and the secretary of education and qualifications and and how that how that is chosen and this you know the added qualifications that are in this legislation speak only to and the ability of it to direct the work of the division so they don't it's not taking into account the need for that the secretary to be able to work with all divisions and and nicely though that that the language in and this legislation really would prohibit and the and the current commissioner from serving after twenty twenty three and subject in a way that flexibility goes against what was established back in twenty fifteen. Thank you Mr. The load your question. You're you're recognized women although I don't want you to leave the table. At the might have a substitution on. My question was actually prompted from what you said okay he said that if we pass this bill it will prevent the current secretary from serving. This is now. The way I read this bill is that the governor could still appoint the current secretary it is two different positions. So is that correct he could he could serve as the secretary of education could not. Yes Sir not Service Commission could serve as secretary of education that is correct okay so the and that would have been an incorrect assessment of what you just said. Because he said that he could not serve as secretary he could serve as secretary he just can Service Commission. If if I misspoke I apologize he would not be able to continue serving in the role limited mission which would then require an additional position to be added okay but was not at all follows Mr was not it was not a position added when you added the date the the additional deputy. Now it there was not an additional position that had to be added we were able to we were able to re purpose a position. Okay so is there to do is there to deputies or is there one deputy. There are two deputies now we were able to re purpose the commissioner position said that and the person could serve in it as a deputy okay are we getting into semantics here because if it's two positions to positions that is what positions one position under ten deputies right now in which there was this one before. Yes there to deputies okay all right thank you Mr. It's not a person is just if you're not interested in the title it's just kind of like over a certain vision. So it's not be something there still there's same same or. Okay all right thank you thank of Cajun representative. Fite yeah I'm sorry that I've got I've got about four. I thank you superintendents and school administrators in my area are telling me that they have the most open invest communication with department education they have ever had so why would we change that. How would this help well it would help by allowing the secretary to have more time to oversee the entire umbrella of all the things that thirty transformation got put under the department of education and then it would allow the Commissioner to dig down more into the To the nuts and bolts of specific parts of the department of education. Follow up please you're recognized did the Commissioner requested this additional help. The what did they generate the bill or is there no no this is not from the department of education thank you. Person got for you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair and I know Dr pepper you tried to run away but you may be the better one to answer this question I know we've talked about this so much but I think it would be helpful for all of us to know if the department plans to continue utilizing one person to serve as the secretary and as the Commissioner particularly with intestate because what I think this bill would do would preclude anyone who does not meet these educational qualifications from being. The commissioner and the secretary and so. I think the way read this it would have to be if you continue to to want one individual to serve as both commissioner and secretary it would then require the secretary to be and. Commissioner of desi when there are other divisions within the Department of Education so I just want to clarify that representante maybe you can say that's your entity that you want the secretary of education if it is indeed the same individual as the Commissioner of desi to always be both positions even though we have other divisions career and technical at higher red state library schools for the deaf and blind all those are under the umbrella of the Department of ed and therefore under the purview of the secretary but I guess what I hear you saying is that and Dr pepper for your clarification or if you could clarify if that if you continue to want that to be one individual even though there are two positions with that required the secretary to have to be a licensed educator and therefore the Commissioner of desi. It's so. Senate with the to answer your first question and the decision is not up to the Department AT the decision said the governor appoints the secretary of education the secretary of education may also served as the director of the department of education the director commissioner at the and the department of education so so it's not it's not a decision that the department of education makes so that the issue here is that. That didn't qualifications for secretary are in one section of code then you also have on in the education code you have the Commissioner qualifications right now there's the flexibility for the person to serve in both roles secretary and commissioner there's also the flexibility that if the commissioner of education does not meet certain qualifications as long as the deputy does that person concert so that the issue would be with the change you have the conflict first of all with and the proposed legislation and the statute but then you also have the and taking away the flexibility of the Commissioner so then you would have to have an additional position and institutional person serving as and commissioner if the secretary didn't so it it just it seems to add more layers and rather than allow for that person to be able to serve in a dual capacity thank you thank you Mr chair. Rested but given a question. Yes thank you Mr if you'll stay. then we pass a bill out of here that allow the secretary to that allow people to. ACT in his capacity. Service yes because of the different things that has to tend to so my question then is in the navy I'm trying to push something here that should doesn't that indicate that the secretary is okay with the current set up. because he's there the Department I guess I should say is okay with the current set up because they have a stab there did they ask for what is status to to help him cover these different meetings so I guess that is my question that it seems like you guys it seems like everybody likes the way it is it seems like you guys have set up to where the Commissioner can send one of his deputies for some of the committee meetings that has to go to so with that one more question I asked you that too deputy commissioners today both now meet these requirements yes but deputies meet the requirements and and and and I thank you for that question because I really think that the goal of what it represented Thailand is is wanting it to it to make sure that and that area is a K. twelve education can adequately be covered even if you're even if you have a commissioner that also is you know serving a much broader educational audience had been to deputies that work with the unified leader and I think that is an even better situation than having three different people where it's thought of as three different layers so and yes that the current set up I think is is working very effectively and and and deputy Stacy Smith and I both of those qualifications. Thank you and I'd like that that's one of this legislation wouldn't take effect until July first twenty twenty three. All right seeing no more questions from committee. I would like to withdraw this bill for we run the run it. I'm not gonna bring it back I I would like to withdraw this building if you're withdrawal are you gonna pull it out take it out of member's name because we do away with it. I will tell you about. With this guy and this bill is already taken today we will not here to be okay let's go and run it then okay. All right. And I thought if the committees okay with that I think it needs to be heard because when I don't have time to run any of these bills plus again. You will withdraw that's fine I'm not to keep people withdrawn go ahead so. Out of respect to you because I know you spent a lot of time on this and what what would you want to do what what I know the chairman has ultimate as someone open the door to the committee but what what do you want to do all right if I had the time I would withdraw it fix though the conflict in law and then bring it back but. I'm just trying to be really blunt with you guys because we have a lot of bills when I was counted but we have a lot of Senate bills are being pushed down that we have not even started hearing and we're trying to get out of here the first week of April we have a break and in March so we're getting very limited our time frames and we're kind of limited to going about twelve o'clock in the daytime so we we you know it's just give it within thirty three thirty four minutes on this bill already and we have eight more to go today so I mean I'm just I'm just trying to be honest or we're going to run out of time so let me say this again sure as chair and I've said this since I've been here in a minute. For a minute now and I think when leadership prioritizes we don't leave here in the people's business is still at hand and then we end up rushing through pushing through or prioritizing even one thing over the other based upon initiatives of leadership this is not necessarily it Cozart so as not for you to defend it's a statement in need to be made and I've made before is that we're here for this time of the people's business we not date certain I mean we have things we can do to extend things for the necessary reason I just think that we get too much into get away from here with in their verifiable things need to be taken care of critical to trickle down effect of it is the chairman of the N. as to getting Committee and push people push things that may need more time maybe consideration for the betterment of the state possibly but what we become prioritized otherwise then we start making decisions is not consistent with the constitution a well we're here again that's not you hello it's not you it's to everybody involved in leadership position is not to we just we just have to do that differently and I've seen that through the metal just because no matter who the governor is as a C. it is the and see it and because the government has nothing to do with this because the legislation this is us and we just got to do a better job in my opinion because what it does. It's for taxes and you make some people's somebody dies will use and that should not happen thank you well they're gonna flex that I'm I'm brutally honest at times but we to be fair to everybody that has a bill that they want to be heard once we've heard a bill it's been amended it brings back to dispense another thirty minutes and I as a brought this bill up this first time and but but if we mended a comeback I can't I can't guarantee that will be good to hear and that's just the way it is and and I'm just trying to be all wise where it is yeah why in the you know this this bill this bill filed early and it wasn't ready I think you have amended it does some stuff to it so I'm not picking on his bill understudy everybody represent Lowery has the same issue he's amended if you bills and there that's gonna be hard to get all these bills back through if we keep amending them and push them back again and we're here for twenty thirty minutes so to be fair the committee to not have to be here every day all day long we we have certain limitations but it's up to leadership all when we leave here that is not any of our call I don't think you're the one this room that has make that call leadership when we leave or when we state we make that call. Well we make that call we make that call would to vote on it is your right but I mean that also actually comes down we don't get to make that. That time frame we just bottle that time frame we have. All right represent all at all I'll let you do whatever you want to do that's just what I think you will go ahead all right okay I don't have any other questions from any the committee members I don't believe so is there anyone there's no one signed up to speak against your bill that I could see on my list. Is there anyone in the audience wants to speak for against the bill. For the bill. Seeing none you're recognized close for your bill I'm closed. It's close to have a motion. Seeing no. We have a motion motion do pass. Okay motion to pass. Okay if you have a question okay the motion the path we have discussion on the motion to it. Arsenal are you're recognized. Thank thank you Mr chairman and I and I think representative told it's been very. Very respectful is that he is not singled out by name of the commission and the secretary However is that something that that's there and we know who who you're talking about and I think the state of Arkansas has been well served. By people in an education positions that maybe did not meet. The qualifications that were initially and I argue you get good example two good examples one our current secretary. I think he is served the state of Arkansas well in this this school districts in the kids and then even going further back to another administration you know the legislature made changes to allow Shane Broadway to be director of higher it and he did a great job. So I think that these you know these strictures that you're talking about are not necessarily A guarantee that we're going to do any better in those leadership positions and I think that we have historical proof that we can get good leadership for people who may not meet the qualifications you're talking about but they have other qualifications of leadership and so for that reason I oppose this bill. Any other discussion. Both representatives. Thank you Mr chairman on the quick as I understand you're saying I think I oppose this bill as well it's not surprising I I did the motion just because I feel a little bad that. I think he's trying he's put some work into that I think at least give someone a chance and I hear what you're saying because I know it's tough to get on these agendas we need to be mindless I'm talking fast but if we give them a chance to at least make a change if we didn't realize that I mix will make mistakes and give them a brief chance to to present it again I don't have a problem with that so that's why I made the motion to pass just to say. Treepeople will be treated I'm in on my health MALOCH bent even though I will probably vote against it. That would give that a do pass motion that's fine that's kinda where we save you either. The Bill pass or do not pass we do not like do not passes so anyway so any other discussion seeing none all in favor say aye. All yes no. I'm sorry your bill of sale. Thank you you have the ability to present. This year. I will all right sure I believe you have sorry twelve fifty seven yeah right yes thanks chair took house bill twelve fifty seven would require every school district to employ at least one school district person or employee who is complete or will complete within three years the certified facilities director certification program offered by the Arkansas school plant management association or a similar certification program as approved by the commission for Arkansas public school academic facilities and transportation the state spends millions of taxpayer dollars to maintain school facilities as good stewards of taxpayer money it is in our best interest to ensure that these facilities are being maintained in the best possible way. So let me give you a little bit of background on this the final report of the Advisory Committee on public school academic facilities included the following under the committee recommendations The division shall establish a facilities maintenance composite assessment program to evaluate Arkansas school facilities conditions and appearances and determine and verify the implementation of effective maintenance program the program should consist of the weighted components included number including number one preventive maintenance plan this actually saves millions extends the life cycle of school facilities number two is a create for a corrective action work order completion number three is state mandated inspections and compliance and number four which is what this bill would directly address is the maintenance professional development. the FE in CA should accomplish the following provide an additional ranking factor to be used in funding requested from academic facilities partnership program projects active nine thirty three of two thousand nineteen expanded the requirement regarding the districts to participate in a computerized maintenance management system also known commonly as school dude to require district use of the C. M. M. S. to include number one three three above the current rules governing the facilities master plan include the following statement it is strongly recommended that the school district's ensure that at least one district employee has completed or completes within three years the certified facility director certification program offered by the Arkansas school plant manager association or a similar certification program. The optional certified facility director certification program has been offered in the state of Arkansas since two thousand twelve by the A. S. P. M. A. in collaboration with the A. E. A. and the Arkansas division of academic facilities and transportation to date one hundred and thirty nine districts in organizations are participating in the program and eighty districts soon to be eighty one when I complete my last class in the spring have employees that have been completed the program the program consists of fifteen two hour classes thirty hours total of training offered in person the ISM and through training videos the cost is thirty dollars per class four A. S. P. M. A. members and forty five dollars for non members. As the state moves towards including an additional ranking factor in the partnership program that includes the implementation of an effective maintenance program the C. if the certification program includes all of the PD components that would enhance district standings in this ranking and selection process and I would add it would ensure train personnel exist in every school district and with that I'll be glad to take any questions that you may have. I have one real quick forget to everybody else I don't usually ask a lot of questions but so you're saying that this could be an existing employee that would take this training correct it does not have to be a new employee it can be it's it's essentially if they have an employee within their school district who obtains a certification it would meet that this requirement so it would not be it would not have to be a new employee. Russell fighter for the. Thank you and you may have said this and I just missed it will the department for education be offering this training to their members are who will offer the training it the training is done through the Arkansas school plant managers association which they have specific training in collaboration with the Department in collaboration with a will be offering the training together training videos have been done in collaboration already and and these agencies work together to provide that training now. It's just not required you recall that. So well this is kind of an internal thing then no one else with the offering this training they can it is this this law allows for any others certification programs that may want to keep me and to be approved by the board by the I'm sorry it's a long. By the commission for Arkansas public school academic facilities and transportation so to answer your question the Arkansas school plant manager management association already provides is training and has it ready to go and has been providing its in Arkansas since two thousand twelve but any other certification program could meet these qualifications for training provided that they get approval from the commission for Arkansas public school academic facilities and transportation. Provide next time you speak would you try different like we keep getting a bunch of ringing from yours and if I'm not sure if that's what it is but I think it is could be just your voice you know. Respresentatives Becky recognized. Thank you so you're saying as it stands right now if we do nothing two hundred twenty people have this I read this the third tweet District I think eighty one school districts already have somebody or excuse me eighty school districts already have somebody in place who already has this certification soon to be eighty one what's up okay last time so I thought that what I wrote down and I'm not a misunderstood you I wrote down the I thought you said it a hundred and thirty nine already had there's a there's a hundred and thirty nine districts and organizations who are participating in it but they're AT that have already obtained it. So there's a hundred thirty nine or that are going through the process to to obtain a. And I apologize for this quick photo so how many school districts on. Two hundred and sixty three. Sixty eight. Somewhere in there is room so it's pretty much adopted already right. I mean there's it's not required no I'm saying that there's. Right now those who are participating heading that way those who will soon be completed those are because I have that one hundred thirty nine those who have already completed R. eighty one so that's two twenty right right but that hundred thirty nine is not necessarily in like there's not just necessarily one person each district there could be multiple people in the and in the same district obtaining it so right you. I understand thank you. The representative Lowery. Thank you a representative. You you talked about the course costing you said Thirty dollars and forty five dollars I didn't catch the distinction but you're the fiscal impact statement that we receive from the Department says that the certification process is actually cost between five hundred and twenty five dollars and six hundred seventy five dollars per person that that was DFA's determination I'm not sure how they have it that I mean thirty if there's fifteen classes at thirty dollars a class that would be four hundred fifty dollars I'm not sure. Where the extra seventy five dollars came in so that file photo okay so in other words if there are multiple core courses that could add up to whether it's four hundred dollars or whether six hundred seventy five dollars right it it does depend on whether you're a member or not if you're a member of a is being made in if your district is the and you or you are then the cost is thirty dollars class for non members is forty five dollars class and and as such this is an unfunded mandate that we're putting on the local school districts it would be and under funded and that we would not receive any additional money but what you can use district professional development funds for. Okay I'll probably have some follow up. Get in the queue of representative brown you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair what's inside. I like to look things up and AS PMA when I looked that up that comes up under the Arkansas association of educational administrators and when I look up Arkansas Association of an education administrators and the AS PMI comes up and so. Is this saying that this certification is only offered through a a E. a. It's it's offered through a S. P. M. I. A. but it is a partner of a and I sat correct. Thank you. Representative Smith. Yes represent all of this one you know the fees where were those seeds go to an and how will they be used. Four four A. S. P. M. I.. Date goes to their organization to provide the professional development for the classes. Yeah. By any other questions committee. Seeing none is there anyone in the audience I have no one signed up to speak for or against this bill. Anyone the audits like speak against the bill. For the bill speak for. You're actually for against okay you're recognized. Good morning I Mark Martin I'm with a a and we do support this bill just a little bit of a respond to some of the questions A. E. A. is an umbrella association and we have twelve education groups under the umbrella of which a at the end I had one of those one of those groups sometimes were considered the a superintendent association but actually superintendent only make up less than ten percent of our total membership so the program was developed in two thousand twelve in collaboration with the with the division of academic facilities we actually looked at other certification programs that were offered another state and then of course customized Arkansas needs because we we do we are what's called a school due to state that means every district in Arkansas is required to use a what's called a computer maintenance. Management system and the vendor for that that that they use it it's it's cool dude again what we have a number of districts and several it representative taller said organizations we have several I have a lot of traditional public school several charter school act have one university that it sent that someone through the program and also two state agency that sent some some folks through the trying to the training a lot of it deals with to go do that a lot of it deals with other things such as the. you know safety issue than just some basic courses on owners Building systems and just for example in April we have we have classes set up in April originally classrooms were all on site then we've kind of evolved into offering classes through AT T. and we four people could come in on site and also like each dreamy and sent the pandemic of started we've we've we've are for those classes V. as I do you know in April we have a basic class phone you know introduction to a maintenance operation we have a safety you one on one classes someone from the department of labor will be will be providing that. We have a gentleman that the that will come in and talk about the repair or maintenance of of roads and and a reform date and then also someone from the Division of academic facilities because they do provide some of the training for that the program is going to talk about the way through you use after two money and improving error error quality and air filtration so that that's a little bit about the program and I'll be glad to answer any questions. Represent but you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair my question is it seems like it's a good rain coming from a background where. Announcer prevention is worth a pound of cure as far as maintenance on facilities is concerned. The question I would have is. Those who have not participated in the program. Have you guys reached out and said hello why not why are you guys not here. well no I mean we do everything we can to publicize the you know the classes that we have you know over the years participation has had grown but you know we have an asset Pacific questions after we have. It is because if we pass this it it becomes. You have to write so and so we are taking away the control from the schools so I have feel about that but I'm just curious as to where you know we we we proposed this to a court that came from our school plant managers group but we uh you know we proposed that through our our superintendents through various coal meeting back during the summer you know it's been approved by our you know governing board that's not saying that all two hundred thirty five superintendent in the state approve of it but you know the majority of them thought this is the considering we're we're going at it that it being a factor in whether or not you're going to get you know partnership funding that we felt that it was important enough that that moved from the optional to a requirement so and again you know we have some small schools superintendent that it actually take they can they're training that'd representative tolerate so it is not to we don't anticipate anybody you know having to hire hire an actor position we have principal that take it to a lot of people that would be considered school maintenance director you know we're a rule state we have a lot of uh of what we call a maintenance director that are also working maintenance man I mean there actually have all that they just don't oversee a staff so and they come from a variety of backgrounds they may come from the private sector they may come through through education and it just the general training owned school law and in regard to procurement and construction and also a heavy dose of of of school dude so to speak. Russian Lowery recognized. Thank you Mr chairman. Mr Martin G. referenced that your organization supported by among other things membership dues and those are membership dues paid out of either local or state tax dollars to go to the school districts but it's not mandated volunteer. This is a different level though right I mean you're mandating that school districts participate in a program where the funding ultimately goes to an advocacy organization correct. Yes okay to offset the cost of offering the all offering to the PD and I will admit there is some precedent for this the Arkansas school businesses official that is also under the ACA umbrella started a decade ago with a volunteer program will school finance and at some point the legislature under with them thought that would be a good idea to make that a mandated training so school but Arkansas school business officials are required to go through a training program that as far as the number of courses the the length of the court is it a is it exactly set up the same way that this program is set up. Thank you. Personally I believe every superintendent should have that training. And I believe it's a good thing to know about your school what could go wrong with your school and how to fix those things so I don't have a problem with the this bill not personally and I have supercenter Texan me telling me they like this bill so and any other questions from committee. Represent love and I guess is that this might not just necessarily be a question but. Can you can can school districts be taken over for fiscal a for a for their facilities being in distress yes. Okay so. I guess if you have a a manager this certified in this program this program it would just benefit or didn't it may even assist in that in that process as far as nine. Having your facilities fall into distress and would that be correct right that's correct it what this does is it it is true is that somebody is properly trained on and the preventive maintenance protocols what needs to be entered in school do how that needs to be logged to a gives you additional information on like how to go ahead and put your warranty easy and so that if something breaks you know where the warranty is what that warranty is I took involuntarily these costs I took these classes voluntarily as a school superintendent because I wanted to learn number one what we were supposed to be doing and maintenance and number two to look and see what efficiencies I could create because every efficiency that I can create on on school facilities is more money that I can spend on educating kids and this act I mean I'm I'm I grew up. working on cars made on the mechanics you know I'm a flip houses I do a lot of different things but I want to tell you this I've learned more taking these classes in what should be done and how to save money and to make facilities last longer than And learn more about that in in in it And because I took these classes and we've spent I don't know five or six hundred dollars in in fees I've I've probably in the three or four years I've been in this program we've been able to save I would say over a hundred thousand dollars in in maintenance for our district. President brown you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair and I think it's important to understand maintenance and that's critical and you know keep everything catalog on the computer so you can keep up with that no when you're. Stup maintenance's do. But would you not agree that if the Arkansas department of education thought that this was critical that they should offer the course. Well this is this is being done in conjunction with the Department of academic facilities legislative this. Which governs Arkansas facilities point of order is that a state agency yes and. Of a point to tell the medical merely for order okay I'm confused what we've gotten into the for and against I know which questions should be directed to Mr mark not answered by the sponsor these are all directed by yeah thank you. Sorry I was listen to Stephen play the play the recall of our meeting appears what was kind of a step is rose contributed to that confusion I'm sorry. Is that question for Mister mark yes it is okay. I'm sorry your mind repeating the question well my question has to do with if this is a required course. Should it not be. Required by the department of education and offered by the department of education. Well fifth day one eight PM may have worked in collaboration with the division to division of academic both public school academic facilities and transportation it to offering the of of these courses we have a member a employee of that of that division that actually fit phone our board and our and our committee that reviews the classes that we're that we're going to offer some of our classes such as the ones I mentioned and and April will be called by employees of the division of the facilities division so you're all set all the for the last decade plus we have worked in collaboration with them if they tell us we need to offer a class we we we offer the class several years ago the division told us we needed to offer a class on a horizontal surface which is the sidewalk parking lots and and and ADA compliant and my first thought is Honda we're we're going to build it to our class to talk about parking lots and sidewalks but but actually the the person who stated that is very knowledgeable and is a very good speakers so it's actually a really good class so I of my point is if the Division won't us to drop a class which we have done based on their recommendation or to add a class then we do we work I mean there's no there wouldn't be any benefit to us or school administrators or school plant matter for us to offer something that has not been vetted by the facility division thank you. President Becky recognized. That person to work with the Division the today recommend you put this program together. If that so the question did they recommend that we put this program together is that to that yes well so the the again I will go back and of so in history so our school business official group At one time offered some of these classes. So when back in two thousand twelve so I reached out to the Division about if we were going to offer some classes regarding school facility you know how could we do we we do that and so that darted the dialogue and then at the same time a if the MA which at that time was not affiliated with a we're also having a discussion with the Division on classes so so that I mean they're they're the division saw and the and I don't want to speak for them but based on my of you know discussions with them over the year they saw the need for some type of training and they've been fully supportive of it and they will. All right seeing no more questions thanks or. I know we have somebody will speak against the bill. The correct. Okay I will scold you little bit a call for against already so I will come back to you so come on a. You may come speak against the bill. You know the only listen in the audience so because that was my first call was against the bill. Mr chairman members of the committee my name is Gerry Newton with Arkansas learned which is like the Arkansas association of educational administrators eight five oh one C. six organization which Bennett which exists for the benefit of our members unlike the A. A. E. A. we are funded solely by private dollars and not public dollars we applaud our friends at a a E. a for robust professional development we do not believe that professional development provided by a private provider should be part of law. Mr Martin for instance history and and earlier requirement it that deserve scrutiny from the legislature. Mandating that private organizations provide professional development to. Members. Three taxpayer funds. Is just not right. With a hundred and I believe you said a hundred and thirty nine. Districts are currently participating. Not finished the participating that's out of two hundred thirty six school districts in Arkansas that is a very strong number. we believe the market should determine. Where people choose to get the professional development and obviously they are choosing a a EA we do not believe that the state of Arkansas should be a part of forcing public employees to get professional development from a private organization. Are there any questions. CNN thank Sir thank you Sir. All right we've heard testimony was the will of the committee. What you are close for the motion I'm sorry. I would like to close for my bill thank you I just want to reiterate something that said earlier this is from the final report of the Advisory Committee on public school academic facilities and this was a recommendation that came from them. Because an additional recommendation was that they provide an additional ranking factor to be used in funding request our funding requested for academic facilities partnership program projects. So to me this is the necessary first step in making sure that every school district has somebody who is properly trained so if that recommendation is put into place that it is going to be a ranking factor in these districts getting funding for the academic facilities partnership program in the future that they have somebody who is fully trained on and maintaining these records making sure that we are properly maintained seeing our school facilities and ensuring that we have adequate adequate but knowledge base within each and everyone of our school districts I will say that this training is already in place with a S. P. M. A. and it does not prevent anybody else from coming into the market place they would just get approval because this is the only organization and it is AS PMA is focused on school operation school maintenance it is the only one that's in the state of Arkansas currently that has this kind of training in this training was developed in partnership with the division of academic facilities and so with that I would like to close. Which will committee. I have a motion to pass I have a motion to pass a discussion on the motion. Replenished speakership. I could I think it's a great program and I could vote for it if it was not a mandate but I just cannot mandate. our superintendents are schools to do something more that's pile just keep piling on them and that's my problem so I will be voting against it because it's a an anti Russian Lowery. Thank Mister I I would just echo frankly the testimony that we heard from Mr Newton that unity use state dollars to man or use the legislature. To mandate a program that funnels funding state dollars or local dollars to a an advocacy organization I mean. I know you've already mentioned that you're getting you know tax receipt print and it's saying that you know they favor some of these programs and I know we could succumb to that pressure but you know the same thing is true it would be improper if for instance the Republican Party of Arkansas wanted us to put in the legend it legislation that we would mandate allowing that organization to teach political and civic engagement. They're an advocacy organization and we would not even probably wouldn't even if you're a motion on that even though there's enough Republicans here to pass it okay but it doesn't make it right and it's the same thing here even if you're getting pressure from superintendents to approve this it is not right and so I'm gonna be voting no and I hope you'll jump join me in defeating this bill. Revson Murdock recognized. I think what this bill does is provides a cat accountability to how districts spend funds we talk a lot about the lack of sometime demand we can put on districts when we send funds to them and they can do things in this questionnaire ways this is something that I think provides an opportunity that superintendents can get training in these areas that are necessary I think. But to what we are is it if it may that's a political. That that's a political group different at that he made at a political advocacy group this is a a group that is not a political group it's to train someone to be to do a quote publication or a work or how to be efficient at a it in a location I think it's different I think it's not apples with apples in my opinion on what that would be so this is something different is accountability it's it's it's it's given districts that may be subject to as someone mentioned state takeover for their lack of performance given the opportunity to get better so I think it's a good bill and I think it's a certain was supported then thank you for bringing. Bills with the representative back. As I said earlier I I'm all about maintenance in in getting it and I I understand the the. Really that the the value of having someone that knows what they're doing but as far as maintenance is concerned but the thing that struck me and I I'm going to be voting yes I do not like to mandate part of this but also is this we've heard testimony right here that they have tried to push his program out through the various channels I didn't write those down so I apologize for that and we talk to superintendents they said they did all these things and these people didn't buy it all right these are super tense is our local superintendents who didn't buy what they were trying to sell all right and what they've done now is or come to legislators okay when in fact they're saying we couldn't sell it to the school districts to remain in school districts the ones that bought it that's fine I think it's a great move for them but once you didn't buy it who said that we're not sending someone there are in effect by their actions telling us they don't like this program and what our actions will if we pass this bill we will be telling them that doesn't matter what you say we're going to mandate that you sent in by this program so I'll. Which shall have to be voted against this. Any other device. Seeing none. Motion on the floors do pass all in favor say aye. All opposed no. I'm sorry that does have it. All right we have a two bills coming up not my two but to bills coming up one from represent Godfrey wants represent of all these if you'll give me just second talk about these two bills just little bit they have a lot of the same people that want to speak for him and so we are an hour and fifteen minutes into our meeting today we still have six bills left out like a five bills so I'm not trying to limit them on what they can do I would just ask that you try to keep your testimony is as short but we since we have so many I have about twenty people signed up to speak for these two bills. The will of the committee do you want to limit testimony time or do you want to let him roll. I need a motion. Yes Sir just make a mask question yes you can ask with all those people that are signed up or they all on the same side of the issue you are all for the hall on the signs and yes everyone for I have no one against so in that case I'll make that motion only limited by limit limit limit has to testimony yes Sir what's your limit two minutes eight o'clock that's fine two minutes each that sound good everybody are you okay with that sponsors okay so we will start with the represent Godfrey she has H. B. fourteen fifty one. And we have amendments on both of these bills and the amendment will need to be passed out first and SPS sponsors my correct. So that's correct Mister chair it's adding and a couple of sponsors of the bill thanks especially to representative walk Womack and Vaught as Austin centers and I move do pass on the amendment you have a do pass amendment do pass on the member all voter say aye aye your motion your member has passed you're recognized to present fourteen fifty one please thank you so much and thank you committee house bill fourteen fifty one allow school districts to adopt approved bilingual programs or dual immersion programs Arkansas English only requirement for the language of instruction currently prohibit these types of programs this bill doesn't do away with the English only language of instruction it simply allows districts to adopt a model of bilingual education or dual immersion program approved by desi forty eight other states allow programs like these likely because they recognize the benefits that I also see first that bilingualism is an asset whether you're English learner in native English Speaker knowing a second language makes you more culturally competent and competitive in the workforce that's why leaders in the business community and industry or in support of this bill and another key benefit which is why it's garnered the support of educators is that bilingual education helps students learn English better and faster while maintaining and developing their native language bilingual education into a person or similar but bilingual education utilizes the student's native language as a language of instruction and gradually phases in more English and dual immersion. As for native speakers of English and native speakers of the target language with the goal of all students becoming proficient in both languages today you'll hear testimony in support of this bill from students superintendents other K. twelve educators university professors chamber of commerce leaders parents I've asked them to be very snappy but some of them are native English speakers some are native speakers of other languages and some like me are bilingual I'm going to school your son beating with I'm happy to answer any questions and I promise I will do so in English purposes like to recognize. Thank you for this bill my reading of it it it clearly says to allow a public school so this is permissive language correct that's exactly the climate of any sort that's exactly right it's not at all a mandate if it makes sense for the district based on their language need based on their staffing needs based on their interests they would be permitted to adopt it better not required thank you. Any other questions. No I ask them all the time. I see no other questions I guess will be ready for testimony let me start with the against and I have none signed up so let's go to the four and. Mr chairman I will let you call the names you're good at those. Some of these names I will not we will not get pronounced correctly because you didn't have bilingual education your. Will first call of the table Alondra Altamirano. We might go ahead and mention a new would be second to be in with a lot earlier on deck would be jacks valley. I want to bring those in. They should be they should be close. You just leave the door open bill to. The pro here is better. Alondra Altamirano. So represent got for did you do you teach. Both both of us languages I am bilingual most of my career has been in English as a second language but actually as an educator because of this English only requirement was not able to instruct bilingually even though I speak the language of my students and you want to make sure they understand they have two minutes and one of which shall you ready okay a state your name and who you're with and you're recognized to speak okay hi my name's under tomorrow no I am here with today with art the sealed by literacy actually you know with the dual immersion and I just wanted to quickly say that I am a by live by lottery seal recipient and along I am also a Ark diesel scholar and I kind of just wanted to give you guys thank you for allowing me to testify and I wanted to say that I am currently a student at the University of Arkansas and as I am a junior and a lot of the cuts classes I've taken the and the Spanish courses we have always been asked what is the solution that we can do to help you know these students that would benefit from you know these languages and we have always been nice and one of the projects that we have always came up with is dual immersion dual immersion dual immersion in which I probably done this three times this project you know and it is great to see that we are here today allowing you know to have to allowed to for this bill to pass so I feel like this is great for students like me and other students I have gone through different backgrounds that you know I have set myself in a position to where I continue setting Spanish but and what if this were to be passed you know students no longer have to seek it but you are there any place that you can learn and it better advance in Spanish and I kind of just wanted to say that this would be great for you know my community and also for other people to be allowed to learn this language and you know advance in languages so I just want to say thank you and to please consider this. All right let's see or any questions. Thank you the. And and I believe the next man Jacksonville is a tax checks Nelly on deck would be Judas Jon S.. You state your name and who you're with you're recognized to speak hi my name is Jackson I am a senior harbor high school in Springdale I'm so excited be here today because I've had a really unique intersection in my own education with bilingual education and so this is something I'm really passionate about subcapsular the time and the growing up in spring to I was always surrounded by really diverse community in the sixth grade I decided I want to begin learning Spanish so over time my phone number the language I want to find unique ways to practice my fluency beyond the normal progression of Spanish classes in school so the summer before my ninth grade year I contact my principal adjoining a Spanish for native speakers course well he wasn't fully sure if it is legal in Arkansas he went ahead and gave me to go ahead and serve for two years I took immersive Spanish classes and I gain so many new perspectives from my peers while also growing up my language skills to gain the sale about leaders in Spanish academically emerging classes pushed me to excel in school and become a competitive student on the national stage after the two years of images of immersive Spanish classes my PS eighty score grew over one hundred twenty points which is pretty impressive and pretty much about five ACT points intervention that was enough to qualify as a national merit finalist and it also open the door for me to more easily learn French and German which are also languages that premises about AC and. And so many opportunities are open me because of my language skills for example to work with Arkansas United as a binding legal intern that's open so many opportunities for future careers for references I'm so I'm so excited that we're asking to take me but maybe most importantly I was selected as one of to Arkansas students this month to attend the U. S. Senate youth program I mean the next week all the opportunity to meet the president members of Congress and members of the Supreme Court as well on top of receiving a ten thousand dollar scholarship to college and I was specifically told by the interviewing committee for the program the my language skills were unique talent that helped my selection so I did just come to little rock to brag but I'm saying all this section has. Just to let you know that these kinds of opportunities can and should exist for more students like me in Arkansas so even though I'm not any as a student and and obviously this bill will help yes all students I've had so many amazing opportunities I just really wanted you guys to consider this and hopefully passes so that more students can have these great opportunities thank you. Thank you of any questions. See note thank you thank you. Yeah. We have a Judas Jon S. and then on deck as Dr Louise Restrepo. Good morning thank you Mr chairman and I didn't have access to bilingual education so my name was changed to Judith and so my mom would corrected me so it's you the yeah yes so good morning and when was the. I it's important call children by their names and you don't respect that culture and the. What the parents call them so thank you so much good morning when OCS my name is Judith Yenice and I'm the founding executive director of an organization five oh one see three called rooted northwest Arkansas I'm here to represent my community parents and families and I don't take this lightly because I am carrying the responsibility of you guys hearing their voices read a Northwest Arkansas was established in twenty twenty seventeen to ensure that led annex parents understood their education options in Northwest Arkansas but most importantly that they were able to advocate for their child's education. As an organization we believe in a parent's right to choose the right education environment for their child. Especially that they are able to have options. Bilingual education is an options that parents want. Traditionally native language speakers have been excluded from targeted approaches that support their learning styles this is the primary reason parents seek other options to support their child educational needs and social emotional growth however in the State of Arkansas as we all know instruction has only been in English. Understanding the diverse and complex ways in which people learn means acknowledging the diverse city that exist within our communities it also means recognizing the varying learning needs of students this is not take away or subtract anything from any other traditional learner giving parents access to quality instruction and educational environments that support their child's learning needs is a step in the right direction. And also it's going to benefit all students. We want to make sure that parents and families have what they need to be successful two minutes okay thank you as an organization we support parents having a right to choose their options children being in the right learning environments so we support this bill thank you thank you any questions C. nine thank you. Thank you lease your next on deck will be Christina how let. Good morning. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity my name is listed another sample M. first I start with a disclaimer and then a qualifier I'm here on my own volition in support of this bill as a private citizen I do not represent the University of Arkansas officially is my employer. I have a PhD in Spanish from the university of Maryland I've been a Spanish instructor for thirty years twenty five years in Arkansas and I helped develop some programs for by Lucy and I've been the most when this hero by the agency Arkansas seal by Lucy of committee statewide. And I have just three points for a better provide some context to these wonderful the station the first one is more a technical or scientific all due to a language programs work the recognized by the US department of state bill for the patient their over so many of programs in eighteen languages across the country and we have a daughter that goes back to the nineteen sixties coral way DO education program in Florida the center for applied linguistics a nonpartisan think tank in Washington DC has plenty of research on these that prove that this is beneficial both for second language learners and for English language learners second point is more on the national and a global context and I would just like to reference because of their limit. The work of the. Academy of arts and sciences bipartisan commission on language learning they have several reports with the stress that is vital for the interest of our nation to have strong language education programs including dual immersion programs and also globally to face the pro programs that we have. At the global level that need cooperation so they have. Reports such as Americans languages investing in language learning for the twenty first century. The last point. Okay that's the two minutes okay then we have many states that go in different ways and I'll just reference okay your legs your time's up will get my quit making last point yes. Their flagship program is the national defense program that has helped develop road maps for different states to do develop their language programs and they have recommended dual immersion programs. All right any questions. Seeing none thank Sir Clark C.. The doctor hell let coming to the table next up will be Trish Lopez. Please state your name and who you're with you're recognized speak. Hello my name is Dr Tina how it and I want to thank you for offering me this opportunity to speak today I've been up an educator for going on thirty years this year and twenty five of those have been teaching English language learners and working with their families and educators who serve them I have a PhD in curriculum instruction from university of Arkansas and that field English for speakers of other language. I am representing today four hundred twenty five educators who serve as members of Arkansas T. cell Arkansas teachers of English for speakers of other languages and in two thousand sixteen are we partnered with the Arkansas for language teachers association hundreds of educators to promote the Arkansas sealed by literacy recognising bilingual students in our state who are proficient in two or more languages we actually of students who have passed and surpassed to languages and speak three or more languages the first year we had ninety five students receive that award and this year as of this year we have seventeen hundred students have been recognized for their by literacy services and recognizing them with doctor Davis I conducted research with the students and through their essays and their interviews we discover that there by literature context mobilize their well being and they felt that their overall academic success of we heard already from two students has been mobilized by their brother C. contacts our research supports dual language immersion programs and also bilingual education we found that there civic engagement improved their sense of service and well being their identities self confidence students were aware of this and how it was a powerful resource for them some students said being bilingual is not only an opportunity it's a blessing and a privilege we hope that we that we realize that the hope of the thousands of educators that I represent and also the students that Arkansas will provide access to these programs for all of our students making our state and our nation greater thank you very much. Are there any questions C. nine thank you thank you that is our last no one I miss Lopez we got one more okay I see I'm sorry you do have one more. Please please statutory with I was not trying to forget you thank you for. Two of my distress Lopez I'm from fate bill I currently work at the university of Arkansas but a starter service in my views are my own I currently serve as a research associate for project connect which is a federally funded grant to support teachers and earning their English as a second language endorsement but before that role I worked as a teacher in Springdale public schools and there is a push for student led conferences and I'll never forget the look on one students face when I spoke Spanish to his parents and he said you speak Spanish better than I do for the record I do not but it really underscores me the disconnect for that student between the language spoken at home and the language spoken at the school in my current role as a research associate I'm just going to echo a lot of what representative country doctor holic Dr Strickland said there's support for dual language immersion programs that enhances career opportunities permits cross cultural understanding and improve students communication skills I'm currently working with doctor put Janet Peter Williams Dr list of Blair and sprayed a public school to write a proposal for a grant from the federal level that echoes this research in support of the language programs if this bill were to pass that would help better position schools in Arkansas to access that type of federal grant in the future but most importantly today I'm here as a mother of a seven year old and three year old sorry I'm permits we speak Spanish and English at home my husband is from Mexico and allowing them to experience for instance will just reinforce their bilingual bicultural identities I told my seven year old I'd be coming here today and she said that she really feels like it's important for her to speak Spanish in school so she can talk better with all of her family because she doesn't feel confident speaking Spanish so um please help me in supporting a better education for my children and supporting this bill. Any questions. Okay thank you. Okay this was the last one for your bill to testify of I know a couple other individuals are here from the chamber of commerce but they may not want to speak and it was the only other bills to I don't think so I mean you're welcome to speak if they want to they did sign up with there will come to your yeah yeah I can just say but Steve Clark from battle chamber and to have money so I mean I have to change everybody before the bill right I think that. Right if they if they wanna speak that's fine if I just wanna say that for this bill that's correct. Which one. Yes Sir if you will state your name and who you're with you're recognized to speak for this bill Mr chairman members of the committee my name is Steve Clark I'm the president and chief executive officer of the fatal chamber of commerce and we are the principal economic developer for the city available and we work in conjunction with the other committees and been working council on this issue we see this bill as a work force bill. it's about recruiting new talent it's about it ably assisting talent it's about giving us a level playing field competing on a worldwide stage so we urge you to adopt. Thank you Sir appreciate comes before the bill. Yes Sir. Next up. Please state your name and who you're with for the record please thank you Mr chairman name is Giovanni Sir mental I work with the Reginald area chamber of commerce and also representative Rogers in my capacity I only want to share with you is a little bit about my history and what we do with the chamber of commerce we have incorporated a lot of programming for our community or enterpreneurs people that want to start a business and employer our our our our citizens and we corporate programs that are done in Spanish specifically we have seen record number of participants in those programs I also have the opportunity and the privilege to serve the state of Arkansas through an appointment that I received from the from a great governor Aissa Hutchinson to serve on the up on state of law enforcement in the state of Arkansas into that experience I also learned that the reason I was serving is because of my ability to to represent everyone in the community to effectively communicate with them because I'm bilingual and I I'm in support I hope that you guys understand that this is very important for our communities I also want to. Take advantage of this a few minutes that I have and and going to take you into my household I am married happily married I was able to meet my wonderful wife she's white in blue ice and we both speak both languages she speaks of use the fluent English is from from Madison Wisconsin and I am from Ecuador and we both caught these commitment that when we raise children which we have done that we wanted both of them to be bilingual as well and I don't want to make the long story but. We had an opportunity just a couple of years ago in twenty fifteen through my wife's work to move overseas down in South America and one of the reasons that she got that opportunity among all the many great talents that she has is the ability to speak the local language to the bill per twenty we we cut our kids in a very bilingual school they they picked up the language now there be able to read and write I was well I speak Spanish but I want to tell you that I also have my nine year old which is my my last child She's very smart she's bilingual but she has down syndrome so even though she has some deficiencies when it comes to her learning she was able to pick up the language so I encourage you to please through this experience in the legal not the little bit that I'm tell me about my family that even though my daughter because some some disability she was able to speak it so if you provide the right lane learning environment for our children Arkansas they will do the rest they will be successful. Thank you Sir appreciate thank you. Senate that it for you. All right thank you your with you're recognized to close for your bill thank you I just wanna say committee how much I appreciate your collegiality and professionalism I know that you all take the time to meet with me to ask questions to express your support really grateful this work means a lot to me this issue in particular means a lot to me so I'm very very grateful happy said yet when we both thought I move do pass as amended I'm closed. The. Okay yes I'm closing I move do pass as amended got yes. We have a do pass motion we have debate represent Lowery. Yes represent got free I appreciate that you came to me yesterday we've visited on this and I apologize that I didn't have the bill in front of me or I would have spotted this already the reference public schools but the text of the bill does not reference open charter schools would you be and I'm I know sits on the committee we're just having discussion here and I'm sorry did ask questions earlier would you be open to amending on the Senate in to include charter schools I had passed and that subdivision of yes I well through desi about what charter schools currently do what their permissions are as far as dealing which goes they told me that that charter schools are allowed to apply for a waiver for you to weigh the English only requirement and and do deliberation or bilingual programs and that nobody has currently I'm certainly not opposed to adding and adding public charters if if that makes sense based on what they currently are allowed to request as far as waivers yeah I'm happy to follow up on that yes bye bye my understanding is it could it could end up being an equity issue if we're we're just helping one a level of certain schools but not the other level so it's just I think it's just a minor I'm certainly not a place we can definitely talk about that a follow up with that we need to do thank you for does your does this bill excludes charters assist public schools and charter public schools will refer preferences school districts which it charter school is not a district representative district yeah our okay Bristol Vaught. I thank you Mr chair I support this bill we talked a lot about bilingual programs but I think it's also important that we look at the deal immersion programs and I shared with you that back in the early nineties when I taught in the river valley we actually did use dual immersion program we had a lot of Laotian students and what I saw was that it lessens their frustration as they were learning English and the and many of them were new arrivals and the country everything was new to them and as they were trying to learn Arkansas history math other subjects if they can have that explain to them and their native language it It lessen their frustration and help them acclimate and was so good for them so I totally support both parts of this and thank you for bringing it thank you. Any other discussion. Seeing none. All those of favour say aye aye opposed no. Congratulations you're patched your bill thank you Committee. Then you see us to do that. Ninety nine. we also have an amendment on the fifteen ninety four to add some sponsors I have a motion motion motion. All in favor say aye. Opposed no you represent your bill fifteen forty nine is amended thank you Mr chairman committee and today I bring to you house bill fifty fifteen ninety four that will actually help with the teacher shortage that we have here in the state of Arkansas and due to covid we are even growing it's even growing more but we do have a solution and that solution is allowing daca students to enter the field of teaching just like we did last session we passed daca nurse legislation to help with the shortage of nurses doctors teachers students go through the same exact training as any other teacher student they take the same exact test as every one else but they can't get certified even though they pass everything as daca students they have a legal work authorization for here but like with many other professions they can't enter the work force due to the language in our current laws I have always contended that we need more of a diet for a diverse atmosphere in our schools we need children to see people who look like they do we need children does have the same cultures we need people for these students to see people with the same culture as they do this in the hands of their experience at school. Because they have someone that they can look up to and someone they feel comfortable with approaching when they have a need I'll close by saying again this bill is identical to the doc a bill that we pass legislation and I'm not sure any of you have stopped to think of how big of an impact that piece of legislation had on our state. We didn't know when we pass that legislation that we would go into a pandemic and how bad I was passing that helps relieve the work force of our health care system of our health care system so today let's pass this last legislation out of committee to help with the teacher shortage that our state is currently having. I would like to do pass motion. Now I think I have people that would really like to see the we do have here's the deal we do have a lot we have like twelve sign up for your bill. If they could I know that you have two minutes we've already made that motion but if if they can cut it down that we would appreciate it it out and I have no problem look to speak those two minutes you know I just have three more bills I'd love to get out of that we don't we will we will do what we have to do on this so I know we want to hear their testimony bring them all I actually asked care if they could just pick some that that's fine and sand in war if they want to just say they support and leave then they could do that she will start to sentiment we won't even we won't even call their names so okay I thank you for first person that may be a chancellor that's fine first one on the list is on your right reader is out okay. They want to come in and then they could just start stand at the door. I don't know if she heard him say that. Tell. It doesn't matter who whoever wants to come in you yes. This is the chancellor he really needs to get back he actually gave up something for me today to be here you to state your name and who you're with you're recognized speak for ten seconds not just get. Thank you Mr my name is Steve Coll and it's always a home coming for me I served in the eighty seven so it's always nice to come back so my name is Steve called on the chancellor of you a confidante I'm here to speak for representative Vaught and representative Godfrey's bill and yeah I know I have two minutes and you know what by have been our with a nose but I'll I'll go through those I want to speak from a local perspective you a concept we are the only Hispanic serving institution in the State of Arkansas we're twenty eight percent of Latino and that we embrace that I've been there twenty seven years twelve is we're going on twelve as the chancellor and we have seen so much in our community so much growth as Steve said a moment ago there's so much economic development that's tied to all of these types of bills and just give an example of when this body passed a fifteen fifty two to two years ago the nursing dot docking nursing bill we now have one third of our nursing students at our college our daca students one third of our nursing students and before that we hardly had any and so this bill I see can make that kind of impact because we see our community S. fifty percent Hispanic a population and what we're seeing in our schools is some of the very best and some of the very brightest that come from our schools often valedictorians salutatorian they are daca students and we give them a a compulsory K. twelve education and then we set up a barrier for them after that and and this bill will will obviously change that they'll change the the the the the other complex of everything we're doing but fifteen ninety four if it passes your what we're really doing we're tapping in to a very deep well of talent a very deep well of talent of our current students in high schools are current students who are Kansans there raised here there our students and we get to keep them here and put them in the talent pool not just. For nursing but with this passes now we can add that to teaching and that that is how meaningful this bill is not just our community but the rest of the state thank you any questions cigna thanks or thank you next up. Thanks neighborhood with please I'm Jarrod Cleveland superintendent Springdale school district you're recognized first of all I want to thank you all for your work and what you do have to dad spent six years in the legislature forward on this committee and so I know how personally you take everything and how you internalized work so his name was Herschel Cleveland was long time ago anyway just wanna thank you for your work I would like to serve tell you we support this bill we have twenty three thousand students in Springdale many of them are of minority in fact over fifty percent nor in many of the ones who are so talented would be void of having the opportunity to come back to work for us you know we're told grow your own grow your own what we want to and this would give us an opportunity so thank you so much for your time and certainly would appreciate it The Great vote on this bill thank you. Yes service station I mean are you with the serve about doctor Bobby Hart superintend hopes I know you're faced with some water for the post office somewhere yeah number one thank you for your time today I will be brief because I don't wanna stand between you all and lunch I understand it could be dangerous just wanna close on the same sentiments that the the chancellor of put forward and superintendent of Cleveland but I'll and I'll say this right now the only path to a career in all public schools that I have for adopt a kid is a classified position and while those are fantastic jobs they don't always provide an opportunity to the middle class and if you consider and pass this legislation I can tell you right now we will feel. Jobs four and five years from now with hope graduates who are teachers and that says a lot about this group and our state as a whole so thank you for your time and best of luck out appreciated Clause The vote thank you we appreciate you coming in. All right next up. You're just state your name I'm not I'm pretty sure your student a graduate graduate all right. Thank you yes my name is my vehicle and I will and I am with Arkansas United like I said I graduated from the university of Arkansas in Fort Smith last year with the bachelors in elementary education so I have my degree. I took my praxis I passed them The New fourth test my practicum sites my student teaching I did all of that and now I the only thing that's in my way is the the language you know in the in the law But I am working as an instructional assistant at at a public District and I love it I absolutely love it so there is no doubt in my mind that that is what I want to do for the rest of my life that is the career that I chose I just want the opportunity to be able to apply for teaching jobs because that is what my degree is I have the qualifications I know the material I I feel very very prepared to be a teacher so I hope that you pass this bill thank you I have a question for you hello yes. Please one question today so we've got this barrier here in Arkansas that is preventing you from going into the teaching profession our other states allowing you to teacher or the same barriers there so in other words kind of the the intent of my question is are we going to be losing Arkansas homegrown talent to other states by not doing this. Well. Yes you will not meet though because this is this is my home. You know Arkansas I mean I grew up here I have my family my friends the kids I just absolutely love the kids you know I don't see myself going away for from Arkansas I I love the kids and I want to do something for them. All right thank you next up. Alecto those had not back there this. Hello my name is Maria Garcia I am twenty three years old and I am with Arkansas United I won't read it because it's a little bit lengthy so I'll just summarize it so I am a daca recipient and I did I will I am part of the I'm a production of the Arkansas education system I work as the second grade teacher at adding to the Catholic school so I know growing up I didn't think that being a document was a problem I never really understood it until I got older and so I didn't know as I got older that my path was going to be ten times harder than everybody else I'm pretty sure all of you all went to school and didn't really bothered didn't really think or consider all your other options at least with me I had to consider every single option and what I wanted to do as my career so I I didn't really have that many rich people that were represented at that represented me as as a Hispanic I did have one student teacher in first grade and I was so excited to see her and then she had to leave because she was a student teacher so I was very devastated also at hi I am not trying to brag too much about myself but I did get at three point eight GPA and I graduated from Pulaski technical college with honors with my associates an education K. through K. through six and nobody ever really mention to me that I was going to be that I was going to be able to get a degree and so that was brought up to me when I went at When I ended up registering to yeah you will they are and they said that I wasn't going to be able to get my license because I was under Griebel so that meant that if I did go to school I would not be getting that degree and I would be getting the license because it was tied in together so I was given the opportunity through a private school it'd be a second grade teacher but I did have some requirements and so I did have to go back to school and did that I had to stop because it was too expensive since had to pay out of state tuition so with my final thoughts I believe this so looking back in my situation I am at the point where I can't financially and mentally and emotionally invested my dream that I once was so very passionate about this not only sentence me but also my students that are currently watching this I believe that my testimony is and stealing and my students what it means to fight what you believe in and that race sex or color should never be a reason why anyone should turn you away from your dreams the American dream so please vote yes maybe it's not the right time for me anymore but maybe for the others in a similar situation to mine and if not for them for my students or the next generation thank you thank you. Next up. Police station I'm who you would please hi good morning I'm Jennifer coming up I see I want to start off by thanking everyone for line me to speak in front of you. So where do I start of beginning yes. Bigot of. Coming here to the United States it was just a terrifying experience obviously everything was new and then entering school it was even more terrifying because I didn't understand anything that was being taught so I feel behind the learning curve and I struggled a lot but I still kept moving forward and working as hard as I could and going into high school I realized that I wanted to be a teacher because I want to be able to be that person the bridge that language barrier and give the students the skills that I wish I had growing up and I'm getting a motion. But I'd like I said I want to be that person to make the difference for for our students and it's sad that a lot of our talents have to move out of state just so that they can dream out there the live out their dream which is the same dream that I have and I know many of the students here of being at teachers and I am also a product of the Arkansas educational system I went to baseline elementary school Dunbar middle school and Little Rock Central High School and they have shaped me into the person that I am today and have grown my passion for teaching and what better way to give back then to put my skills back into our community and help the students achieve their goals. Thank you so much thank you. Next up. Yes please state your name and who you're with good morning my name is Maryland Rodriguez and I am with Arkansas United as well so I just want to say that I am grateful also for this opportunity to speak in front of all of you I'm twenty four years old and I have been a resident of the United States for twenty one wonderful years and my family and I emigrated to Springdale Arkansas right after I turned three immediately I noticed that this place was a place where diversity flourishes and it's also a place where I would like to return one of the most important gifts that I have ever received the gift of education. Personnel's elementary jail Kelly middle school southwest junior high and spring to high school we're all exceptional schools but they all liked wanting representation it was disheartening growing up and such a diverse place that yet left overall model that looked like me. Today I stand before you because I believe that representation is vital everyone should be able to look around and think if they can do it I can too. Ever since I was a little girl there was no doubt in my mind that this was what I was created to do never the less there have been many obstacles that I've had to face. But the ultimate challenges this one the day I found out that after all these years of hard work and devotion I would still not be able to achieve my dream my heart broke despite all these troubles I'm still here and I still want to be a teacher and give back to the state that watched me grow. Whatever happens next is out of my control. But I want you to know that our children to serve what I was not able to do it for twelve years one that what I was not able to see for twelve years and my education they deserve to see someone that looks like them and can relate to them in ways more complex than can be explained our state needs more teachers who despite the challenges have persevered and want more and more than anything to prepare our next generation for even greater things and I leave you with a quote from CS Lewis you can't go back and change the beginning but you can start where you are and change the ending thank you. Thank you. Please state your name and who you would please good morning my name is ana Rodriguez I am also with Arkansas United today in support of H. B. fifteen ninety four my story is not much different from the other stories of the others like me I was brought to this country when I was just five years old by parents who desperately wanted a better life for me my family settled in Southeast Arkansas and although I was not born here I consider this state my home this is the place where I was raised and where I have lived for almost eighteen years have been a daca recipient for several years now and I'm grateful for the opportunities I've had under this program they call us dreamers and rightfully so we have big dreams we want to be scientists teachers lawyers doctors one of the biggest things is to become an educator my parents tell me took me just a few months to learn English I don't recall any of that but I do remember the teachers who treated me with kindness and compassion in my struggle to learn in fact my experience as an immigrant in Arkansas has been largely shape on my journey as a student and has sponsored a desire in me to pursue a career as an educator. one of my biggest challenges as a daca student it was attending my college degree my educator stood by me however and we're willing to ask hard questions find solutions and fight for me so that I could achieve my goal because of their faith in me and our support I cannot really say that I'm first generation college graduate from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. My journey to becoming an Arkansas teacher however is far from over without the ability to obtain professional licensure as a teacher my goal teaching Arkansas faces failure unfortunately documented students who want to become teachers are prohibited by current state laws regarding licensure many of us are left with the possibility of having to move out of state to pursue our teaching careers places like Colorado New Mexico Ohio and Texas currently allowed daca recipients to teach a three fifteen ninety four would ensure that documented inspiring teachers like me have the option to teach in Arkansas this bill will benefit the Arkansas workforce by preventing a loss of potential workers a three fifteen ninety four would also encourage future docket teachers to continue pursuing their degrees additionally this bipartisan bill will first and foremost greatly benefit our K. through twelve students. It. Thank you all right thank you. Next up. Four short sweet short short short as we are talking about you your time I was gonna say I'm already short. Station I would you would please yes thank you Mr chair good morning committee I am Carol Fleming a speech language pathologist in the little rock school district serving as president of the Arkansas education association which represents thousands of educators from across the state I'm pleased to support this critically important bill and appreciate representative Vaught representative got for his work on this issue if I'm going to be short and sweet let me just drop on down to Arkansas still has a lot of work to do when it comes to making sure our education workforce reflects the students that they are educating many districts are severely out of balance in this regard and this bill would be a vast step forward to ensure that all our students see educators that look like them and share similar life experiences finally set Senate bill five twenty four also sponsored by representative Vaught will be coming forward for your consideration soon this bill last districts to make meaningful strides towards recruiting and retaining a racially and ethnically diverse work force today by passing house bill fifteen ninety four you can open the door to assist school districts students and communities share this achieve the shared goal I appreciate your support thank you thank you. Next up. Please state your name and who you're with. Diana Gonzales were then the University of Arkansas director project reach a project reaches a grow your own program we are partnered with Springdale public schools as was mentioned by the superintendent over sixty percent of their student body is culturally and linguistically linguistically diverse this program was to serve fifteen bilingual bicultural pair professionals who have a desire to become elementary teachers we have thirty one in the program we were able to save her perhaps save money because as a pair professional you earn first year seventeen thousand dollars more or less a first year teacher earns forty eight thousand dollars in ten years that para professional or instructional assistant will earn twenty one thousand teachers will then earn ten years later about fifty five thousand a major difference one of our students mentioned what would it what what what would be some of the challenges are things that you would like to see change if you became a teacher quote it would be nice to see more Hispanic teachers I feel some people have a concept that other ethnicities are teachers and not them they don't really pursue that as a profession I've noticed at our school we don't have a single Hispanic teacher this is that elementary school that has over sixty percent culturally and linguistically diverse students I echo that with her because in my twelve years of public schools kindergarten through twelfth grade I never had a teacher that look like me. Community college never had a teacher that was Hispanic or look like me masters nope and not even PhD. However when I'm became a teacher here in Arkansas and worked on my ESL endorsement the last day we had a celebration and the presenters that taught in that ESL academy when I turned around they were all lined up behind me five P. H. D.'s Dr got rattled on the day that you may know Dr beneath Benitez Gonzalez and so it's possible thank you very very much. Thank you. All right I believe we have our last one. If you please a state your name and who you're with please hi good morning everyone of the S. and Mister chair committee representative got free and reasonable right thank you for allowing me to speak to you today my name is also the last kiss and I work with the Arkansas public policy panel I want to start off by thanking you for what you did for our daca recipients in the state of Arkansas two years ago you provided them with an opportunity for affordable institution and for those that were called to stay in Arkansas and become nurses no one knew what March twenty twenty had in store for us and with the pandemic in full force twenty three thousand daca health care workers many of them are Kansans took the front lines and health care and began to save lives against this deadly virus you gave them the chance in the state people like my friend nurse public policies back there she's staying in Arkansas thanks obtain their nursing licenses and many are not working in a very rural areas here in Arkansas some of them are working across the street to today before you you have another opportunity to change and better the lives of these talented young our Kansans with a career as educators I'm humbly asking you to please provide an opportunity for these individuals that are wanting to stay here in Arkansas and teach people like my friend buddy I you heard her while ago according to the migration policy institute has of September twenty twenty there roughly four thousand four hundred and forty daca recipients here in the state of Arkansas about eight thousand students now qualify for daca let's take this advantage and provide them the opportunity to thrive here at home in twenty twelve I was part of the team the provided the put together the proposal for daca I remember the feeling that I got two was incredible satisfaction but also relief I was able to come home that I have that afternoon and during the fall of two thousand and twelve I helped about three thousand students preference for daca. Most of these kids have been able to not purchase homes vehicles have some serviceability and many of them have been able to pursue their careers and their dreams today I am asking you to please consider voting yes on house bill fifteen ninety four R. as we lovingly call that are docket teachers. So many of the students may have an opportunity to make Arkansas a much better state than it already is in before you this opportunity thank you so much. Thank you. Seeing that's all for testimony I don't believe we have anybody else in there. I'm because for my bill motion to pass motion do pass as amended. All right and is there any discussion on the bill seeing none all in favor say aye. It It pose no regulations passed bill I have to bills and I'm going to run I'll take a motion to pass at any time. Mr. Mister chair. President Cozart you are recognized to present house bill fifteen forty. Thank you Mr. Here to present. House Bill. Fifteen forty I have with me and I will let you go ahead and state your name and who you're with look it's harder Arkansas school board association all right so basically the cemex or school board election to mend the timing requirements on them and the and it's about the also about the minority population so I'm going to turn this over Lucas he has this all written on the back of his hand so you'll be reading that there. Okay so House Bill fifteen forty is intended to try and adjust some of the time lines dealing with the post census redistricting process for school board members to account for changes the legislators made in past legislative legislative sessions. It does three things so the first thing And sections one and three it is to realign the timeline to make sure that the deadlines for when districts have to. Published their resolutions and all of their new zone maps has to be before the candidate petition circulation period opens in twenty nineteen that period was extend from thirty days to ninety days so that is is the first thing second in section two we. Added that this this was when districts who are first determined to have a ten percent minority population they're required to adopt a resolution stating how many zones they are going to have either five seven or five into at large that. Traditionally was prior to when they had different finalize their maps so we gave an additional thirty days on that so it's a hundred and twenty days prior to when the candidate period opens and then the third thing is in sections two and three there was some ambiguity as to which election cycle this would apply to because with the transition in twenty eighteen of being able to have school boards that would be being elected in November the. Sit Census ended prior to the November election last year so as it reads currently it is the second annual election following the census and so that could potentially be this year instead of next year so we change that to be that it would be the annual school election on the second year following the senses so that all of this would be done for next year's election cycle and that is what this bill does I'm happy to take any questions. Representative make sure recognized thank Mr and I think you just answered my my questions of the concerned. Let up I think you've already addressed is typically we get the census data by April this year so Clark is gonna be September or later and I want to make sure that the timing that you've adjusted here is going to allow for that late arrival of that data. I hope so. The the the earliest for those that are doing spring elections next year the if they are a new district that is initially determined to have a ten percent minority population the deadline for them to put out a resolution same how many so is there going to be would be November second. And then they would be re alt all spring election cycle districts would have to put forth their new zones prior to December second of this year okay so I hope so but I can't guarantee that but yes that was certainly our intent was hopefully that'll be late enough thank you thank you Mr. No other questions. Cozart. we are close for this bill and I make a motion to pass the motion. If there's no other east division one speak for against it I'm not sure. Okay. Swell motion floors any discussion on the motion. No discussion all those in favor say aye. Close may. Resolution passed bill thank you. next up of Mister chair I have fifteen forty one of the like that from him doing the police. And the state you're not sure hello and committee and chair appreciate being here my name is robin keen with a eighty eight. And I'm gonna let her present this to you should a lot better job and I will okay House Bill fifteen forty one is to clarify that the Legislative intent of ACT nine ninety five of twenty fifteen we had the privilege of working with the approval of the sponsor at that time and what this bill did in twenty fifteen was it required districts to increase their local health a contribution amount at the same percentage rate that they increased their base licensed teacher salary we wanted to make sure that that was clarified because when we say base we wanted to clarify that meant bachelor's base so that's what this particular bill does this clarifying bachelor's base. So we got. Representative makes recognized violate you with another one here so it so tell me why we want to do a bachelor's base first as a masters or associates degree why why why that based. Because of when you're increasing or making that change and increasing your health insurance rate it would make it very difficult if your different lanes were increasing at different rates so we establish the base amount and that that's what the intent was to work with a bachelor's amount in the very beginning of the bill in twenty fifteen. No other questions anyone in the audience won't speak for the bill. Is the bill. President Cozart we are closed make a motion to pass. Emotional floors any discussion on the motion. No discussion all those in favor the bill say aye. Those may regulation closure a pastor bill. Senate Chesterfield. You are recognized to present Senate bill three eighty two. Thank you very much for your patience this morning. Could you turn your microphone on police center thank you it is that it has to be in writing it has been what well then we just wanna mean we're going to proceed if you don't mind you may now all right thank you Senate bill three eighty two simply does one thing it makes it possible for those in private schools to gain access to our futures grants and makes it just like all of the other scholarships that are available in the state of Arkansas. And we have to take any questions. Are we have a question represent Lowery. Yes thank you Mr chair of the center of if you can give us a little bit more explanation on of the language here private nonprofit to your for your college with that includes Washita Baptist university Harding it let but what is what we have done and if I may I'd like Dr Martin to come to the table if you will it because. Even though those institutions cost more money this is capped. If you look on page two you will see that it is capped at the amount that would be the cost of the average cost of to your Institute public institution so even though it would allow them to take advantage of it the amount of money that would be given would not be more. I've Maria market division of higher education I can take any questions. I'm sorry you're recognized we will look at the bill of okay we'll follow up then. Well if I may that the explanation and it was I think it was clear you're saying it's capped based on what the grant would be if you were going to a public college public university Yes and there yep to so there be the yeah. I doubt that would be the same as any other two year or four year nonprofit private whether it's H. B. C. U. or whether it is Washita Harding that there would be that cap yes it would include my alma mater of Washington that university isn't with any other institution. Counted among the trauma motor was Hendrix but I have a master's degree as well okay. So he entered combat Hendrix College would also be included yes I would but in this we would not be paying in fixed prices right under that cap okay thank you for that clarification. They're still just quick question I just wanna make sure that I understand build very short concise I realize you're just adding one basically one lot of this what you're asking this is that through this through this grant program through the state is that we're taking. State taxpayer dollars through this grant program and we are warning that to a private nonprofit two year or four year college university correct as we do the. As we do the Arkansas challenge scholarship and every other scholarship that we have in the state of Arkansas yes ma'am thank you for that clarification you very well. Any other questions. Seeing would you of everyone the audience speak against the bill. For the bill. Are you close for your bill. Close the bill was will of the committee. motion do pass a discussion on the motion seeing none all in favor say aye. It opposed no graduation you've passed your bill. Thank you committee and we appreciate you very much. Ladies and gentleman thank you for the marathon day if there's no other business before this committee we're Journal.